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High Protein Diet and Urination

Jul 16, 2011 | By Shelly Morgan
High Protein Diet and Urination
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A high-protein diet does not affect urination, but it might affect the chemistry of the urine produced. Urine chemistry is measured with a series of tests referred to as urinalysis. Abnormal urinalysis results are a red flag for kidney disease, which might be a concern if you are on a high-protein diet.

High Protein Diets

Dieters often embark on high-protein diets to lose weight. A study appearing in the June 2005 "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" examined the kidney function, cardiovascular disease risk and markers of bone turnover in 100 overweight women who followed a high protein diet. The authors concluded that such a diet helped people lose weight without adverse effects, including on urinalysis tests.

Kidney Function

Healthy kidneys filter the blood and remove waste products. As they perform this function, they keep protein from spilling into the urine. Healthy people have almost no urine protein, regardless of how much protein they eat. Kidney-disease patients, on the other hand, have high urine protein -- which gets higher if they consume too much protein.

Chronic Kidney Disease

The National Kidney Foundation specifically advises patients with chronic kidney disease not to follow high-protein diets. Because high urine protein accelerates the progression of kidney disease, low-protein diets are often recommended for this population. One out of nine Americans has kidney disease -- and often is unaware of it until someone tests their urine for protein. Because this disease can be so insidious, you should never start a high-protein diet without checking with your doctor first.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are bits of crystalline material that block the flow of urine from the kidneys to the bladder. People who get one kidney stone are likely to get another. The medical literature refers to such people as "stone formers." A May 2003 article in "Current Opinions in Urology" reviewed the literature on diet and kidney stones, and noted that the evidence strongly suggests that restricting animal protein can help prevent kidney stones. People who are prone to kidney stones also should avoid high-protein diets because kidney stones temporarily make urination painful or impossible.

References

Article reviewed by OmahaTyppo Last updated on: Jul 16, 2011

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